Strike workers ‘£2,245 worse off’

Pay

Published:09:20Wednesday 09 July 2014

Teachers, firefighters, civil servants, NHS staff and council workers are more than £2,200 worse off on average since the coalition came to power because their pay has been held down, according to a new study.

The TUC said the Government’s “mean-spirited” approach to pay has had a huge impact on the spending power of millions of households.

The research, published ahead of a strike by over a million public sector workers tomorrow, showed that pay had been frozen or limited to below inflation since 2010.

The policy has left public servants £2,245 worse off on average in real terms, with workers facing another four years of below-inflation rises, said the TUC.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The economy may be picking up, but having paid the price in pay freezes and below inflation pay increases for several years there is to be no financial let up for town hall employees and other public sector workers.”

A Government spokesperson said: “The Government recognises and greatly values the contribution of public sector workers. The difficult decisions we have taken on public sector pay restraint have saved around £12bn, helping maintain front line services and thousands of public sector jobs, while still protecting the low paid.”